[News] Protests Against Police Violence After Death of George Floyd

Discuss police violence, the victims of police violence (including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor), the Black-led protests against said violence, and related topics.

So, not only was that photo-op unannounced, they had to violently clear out the large group of priests on the church patio to stage it:

Religion News Service: Ahead of Trump Bible photo op, police forcibly expel priest from St. John's church near White House

(RNS) — Early Monday evening (June 1), President Trump stood before the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church in downtown Washington, DC, and held aloft a Bible for cameras.

The photo opportunity had an eerie quality: Trump said relatively little, positioned stoically in front of the boarded-up church, which had been damaged the day before in a fire during protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.

The church appeared to be completely abandoned.

It was, in fact, abandoned, but not by choice: less than an hour before Trump's arrival, armored police used tear gas to clear hundreds of peaceful demonstrators from Lafayette Square park, which is across the street from the church.

Authorities also expelled at least one Episcopal priest and a seminarian from the church's patio.

A twitter thread about the post-protest events: the police trapped the protesters on Swann Street in DC, prevented them from leaving, several homeowners opened their homes to the protesters, and it resulted in an all-night stand-off.

WUSA9 (CBS): CURFEW LIFTS: DOZENS OF DC PROTESTERS WHO TOOK REFUGE IN RESIDENTS' HOMES TO AVOID POLICE ARRESTS NEAR LOGAN CIRCLE SAFELY LEAVE

WASHINGTON — Dozens of protesters, who took refuge in homes near Logan Circle to escape arrests after defying D.C.'s curfew, have safely left as curfew lifts at 6 a.m. This comes after the fourth day of demonstrations in D.C. over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Residents around 15th and Swann Streets let those dozens of protesters into their homes Monday night.

DCist: Protesters Trapped Inside Dupont Home Leave Without Arrests

After D.C. police blocked in a large group of protesters on a Dupont street two hours after curfew set in, a person in the area invited demonstrators inside his home. Hours later, the demonstrators are still stuck there, with police waiting outside.

As officers closed in on the protesters from both ends of Swann and 15th streets NW with what appeared to be pepper spray and flash bangs, a resident opened up his door, allowing as many people on the street as possible to huddle inside, according to one of the demonstrators currently seeking refuge there.

At least one county objected to the use of their police force for the photo-op:
WUSA-9 (CBS): Arlington County pulls police officers from DC that were helping control protests
Arlington officials aren't happy that their officers were part of dispersing crowds near the White House ahead of President Donald Trump's walk to St. John's Church.

The Army was deployed in DC:

The Week: U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter deployed low over D.C. to run off protesters, counterinsurgency-style

President Trump ordered hundreds of active-duty uniformed military personnel from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Washington, D.C., on Monday to help restore "law and order" in the capital, and said if "a city or a state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them." Trump can deploy U.S. military forces in D.C., but elsewhere he either needs the consent of the governor or he has to invoke the Insurrection Act, a 1807 law that is rarely used in modern times.

The Drive: Military Helicopters Descend On Washington In Bizarre Very Low-Altitude Show Of Force (Updated)

And meanwhile online:
The Verge: Blackout Tuesday posts are drowning out vital information shared under the BLM hashtag
Users sharing black screens in solidarity have inadvertently taken over the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag

Gremlin wrote:

So, not only was that photo-op unannounced, they had to violently clear out the large group of priests on the church patio to stage it:

They also turned it into a campaign video and released it on the official White House Twitter account.

Hobear wrote:

Can we not play sh*t on every attempt Nomad tries to make? His engagement seemed authentic and just because he quoted an examiner didn't mean we needed 3 follow-up posts of antagonization. Assume some positive intent please. That could have been posted by several others without scrutiny.

This is a time to find new ways to put aside differences and come together. Let's start with our community when they attempt to engage with the current situation. There is a larger enemy than our friends.

Thank you.

*sigh* He's congratulating himself in his own tweet....

Trump wrote:

D.C. had no problems last night. Many arrests. Great job done by all. Overwhelming force. Domination. Likewise, Minneapolis was great (thank you President Trump!).

IMAGE(https://awakenedeye.files.wordpress.com/2018/11/c-h7.jpg?w=640)

And this....

District of Columbia AlertDC system wrote:

This is an important message from the District of Columbia AlertDC system.

The United States Secret Service (USSS) reports the following roadways will be closed to vehicular traffic until further notice.

Constitution Avenue NW, between 15th and 17th Street
17th Street NW, between Constitution Avenue and H Street
15th Street NW, between Constitution Avenue and H Street
H Street NW, between 15th Street and 17th Street

IMAGE(https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/digital-images/org/d94b09ad-7970-4474-b5e1-40cc68aef71f.jpg)

mudbunny wrote:
Stele wrote:
mudbunny wrote:

So, currently Canada does not accept "refugees" from the US because the US is a safe country.

Wonder if that will change in the coming days/weeks?

Eh?

We'll let you in.

Reaper81 wrote:
mudbunny wrote:

So, currently Canada does not accept "refugees" from the US because the US is a safe country.

Wonder if that will change in the coming days/weeks?

I have a Master's degree, understand hockey, and can make maple syrup.

You too.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

As a resident of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, I live further north than a healthy portion of Canada's population, so I'm willing to help teach residents learn how to cope with cold weather.

You as well

aboot

What kind of checks and balances does the United States have btw to pretty much ignore Trump as he tries to escalate things to civil war?

As a Canadian I have no clue.

The helicopters buzzing protestors is very concerning. For how limited the Presidents powers are in some cases requiring Congress/Senate don't tell me he can pick up a phone and essentially start ordering the military to do as he pleases especially domestically.

jowner wrote:

What kind of checks and balances does the United States have btw to pretty much ignore Trump as he tries to escalate things to civil war?

Well, technically we have the other two branches of Government. Legislative and Judicial.

and f*cking at them being checks and balances at this point.

jowner wrote:

What kind of checks and balances does the United States have btw to pretty much ignore Trump as he tries to escalate things to civil war?

As a Canadian I have no clue.

The helicopters buzzing protestors is very concerning. For how limited the Presidents powers are in some cases requiring Congress/Senate don't tell me he can pick up a phone and essentially start ordering the military to do as he pleases especially domestically.

He cannot normally deploy the military domestically outside of Washington D.C. without the explicit consent of the governors of each state. However, the statutes of the Insurrection Act allows the President to deploy the military within the U.S. if local authorities are unable or unwilling to enforce federal laws and maintain order. The Insurrection Act was last invoked during the L.A. riots in 1992; prior to that, it was used to prevent looting after a hurricane, to enforce desegregation, and to massacre Native Americans.

The end of this New York Times explainer sums up the situation pretty well:

Originally, the statutes set clearer limitations, like a sunset provision for the use of military forces, and a required judicial review, Professor Vladeck said.

But after those provisions were repealed, it became “somewhat unclear how an abuse of the statute could be reined in,” he said.

“We’ve been lucky, historically, that political considerations have prevented presidents from abusing these authorities,” he said. “But there is no guarantee that comparable considerations would restrain President Trump.”

So yet again, we're counting on "norms" to maintain checks and balances.

Theoretically, Congress could amend the Insurrection Act (it's been amended multiple times before) to re-impose some kind of judicial review, to reimpose a sunset of military force, or to repeal the law entirely. But I cannot imagine that passing the Senate, and I cannot imagine Trump actually obeying any kind of oversight or review from Congress.

jowner wrote:

What kind of checks and balances does the United States have btw to pretty much ignore Trump as he tries to escalate things to civil war?

As a Canadian I have no clue.

I'm over in Northern Ireland pondering the same.

So we really think the congress that would not impeach him will say no to him at this point?

I think there is a better chance of the military disobeying any of his unlawful orders or carefully obeying lawful orders and not harming civilians than that happening(and I don't hold out a lot of hope for these options either).

Stealthpizza wrote:

So we really think the congress that would not impeach him will say no to him at this point?

I think there is a better chance of the military disobeying any of his unlawful orders or carefully obeying lawful orders and not harming civilians than that happening(and I don't hold out a lot of hope for these options either).

Unfortunately bingo StealthPizza.

I am honestly sick from what I've seen and exhausted reading about it. Edit: So to be specific the response to peaceful protests by constantly agitating protesters with various tactics, gas, pepper spray, attacking unprovoked, etc is what has brought me down so far today.

I hope some police start walking off and joining the protest and protecting them but that's some pipe dreams my friends.

Stealthpizza wrote:

So we really think the congress that would not impeach him will say no to him at this point?

I think there is a better chance of the military disobeying any of his unlawful orders or carefully obeying lawful orders and not harming civilians than that happening(and I don't hold out a lot of hope for these options either).

I think the most likely outcome is Trump getting spooked when polling shows public opposition to military deployment against the protests, and it remains a threat that he trots out to rile up his base but doesn't act on. Kinda like his endless threats to override governors on pandemic measures that he never tried to do but talked a lot about.

Or, he decides to damn the torpedoes and go full steam ahead with a military overthrow of the country and f*ck the election.

Yeah, the only real check that exists given the state of the GOP and the Senate is the people. Do police walk away. Does the military disobey orders. Do people in the streets overwhelm authorities. I think Trump can do whatever he wants at this point. It's just a question of what he wants.

DSGamer wrote:

Yeah, the only real check that exists given the state of the GOP and the Senate is the people. Do police walk away. Does the military disobey orders. Do people in the streets overwhelm authorities. I think Trump can do whatever he wants at this point. It's just a question of what he wants.

And the problem here is that many if not most of those in police & armed forces fall into trump camp lapping up the dumb rhetoric being fed to them. Most of them see protesters as criminals and white nationalists causing problems or dumb GOP supporters showing up with violent actions as saviors/good people.

Vox: These videos show the police aren’t neutral. They’re counterprotesters.
Some law enforcement officers are treating America like a battlefield.

By now, millions of Americans have seen the videos.

Police officers surrounding protesters, beating them with batons. An officer apparently spraying mace at a little girl. Police cars plowing into a crowd of people, knocking them to the ground.

To many watching, the lesson of such images was clear. As New York Times Magazine writer Carvell Wallace put it, at the protests around the country after the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers, police aren’t a neutral party. They’re counterprotesters.

Twitter thread:

Hi everybody. I was arrested at the protests in Richmond last night (or rather after). I wanted to share my experience + shed some light on what the police are doing. 1/

Last night around 1230/1 I stepped onto my back porch and saw two people running and looking quite frightened. I invited them in and they stayed at our place for a little while to rest and hide out. They were both teenagers, and both black. After they were feeling better 2/

we decided to go to their car which was a short drive from where I live. I drove them to their car, seeing some cops but not realizing how prevalent the their presence was at this point (at least in Jackson Ward). On my way home, about a minute later, cops pulled up 3/

jowner wrote:

What kind of checks and balances does the United States have btw to pretty much ignore Trump as he tries to escalate things to civil war?

As a Canadian I have no clue.

The helicopters buzzing protestors is very concerning. For how limited the Presidents powers are in some cases requiring Congress/Senate don't tell me he can pick up a phone and essentially start ordering the military to do as he pleases especially domestically.

https://sirota.substack.com/p/10-thi...

People have already been shot and killed by police firing into crowds.

Does anyone seriously believe that adding more guns with live ammunition, held by military kill-or-be-killed trained soldiers to the equation will make things better?

More people will die. Honestly just a few more bystanders dying from stray bullets is a best case scenario right now. We'll be lucky if there isn't a massacre.

Gross....

Attorney General William P. Barr's Statement on Protests in Washington, D.C.

Attorney General William P. Barr released the following statement:

“Last night was a more peaceful night in the District of Columbia. Working together, federal and local law enforcement made significant progress in restoring order to the nation’s capital.

I am grateful to Chief Peter Newsham and the Metropolitan Police Department for their outstanding work and professionalism. The District is well served by this exceptional police force.

I also thank Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley, and the men and women of the Department of Defense for their support. I am particularly impressed by the citizen-soldiers of the D.C. National Guard, who are committed to serving their community, and did so with great effectiveness last night.

Not least, I am grateful to the many federal law enforcement agencies and personnel who helped protect the District, including the FBI, Secret Service, Park Police, ATF, DEA, Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Marshals Service, Capitol Police, Department of Homeland Security’s CBP and Border Patrol units, and others.

There will be even greater law enforcement resources and support in the region tonight. The most basic function of government is to provide security for people to live their lives and exercise their rights, and we will meet that responsibility here in the nation’s capital.”

Barr wrote:

The most basic function of government is to provide security for people to live their lives and exercise their rights

I mean, that's exactly why this is happening, because this government is failing that.

Trevor Noah talking about Legitimacy is poignant. This government is illegitimate from the perspective of anyone but a rich white family (or just racists I guess)

polypusher wrote:

I mean, that's exactly why this is happening, because this government is failing that.

Trevor Noah talking about Legitimacy is poignant. This government is illegitimate from the perspective of anyone but a rich white family (or just racists I guess)

yup, Barr just didn't say it out loud...

Barr wrote:

The most basic function of government is to provide security for white people to live their lives and exercise their rights

Speaking of....

Washington (CNN)Attorney General William Barr on Monday evening ordered authorities to clear a crowd of protesters that had gathered near the White House, according to a Justice Department official, minutes ahead of President Donald Trump's televised address from the Rose Garden.
Barr had been told that police believed protestors were gathering rocks to throw at law enforcement, and while he was in the park, water bottles were thrown in his direction, the official said. CNN did not witness any water bottles being thrown at the attorney general. Camera footage shows him standing and watching the crowd for several minutes, flanked by a security detail and two senior department officials.
Gremlin wrote:

Twitter thread:

So basically kidnapped by cops and held in a garage with limited food and water for 10+ hours. WTF

I absolutely adore Senator Duckworth.
Straight up calls the Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the JCoS "Lapdogs," and then donald a "Five-time draft dodging coward."

The Intercept: MINNEAPOLIS POLICE UNION PRESIDENT: “I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THREE SHOOTINGS MYSELF, AND NOT A ONE OF THEM HAS BOTHERED ME”

IN AN INTERVIEW in April, Lt. Bob Kroll, head of Minneapolis’s police union, said that he and a majority of the Minneapolis Police Officers’ Federation’s board have been involved in police shootings. Kroll said that he and the officers on the union’s board were not bothered by the shootings, comparing themselves favorably to other officers.

Minnesota AFL-CIO: MINNESOTA AFL-CIO CALLS FOR MINNEAPOLIS POLICE UNION PRESIDENT BOB KROLL’S IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION

Minneapolis Police Union President, Bob Kroll, has failed the Labor Movement and the residents of Minneapolis. Bob Kroll has a long history of bigoted remarks and complaints of violence made against him. As union President, he antagonizes and disparages members of the Black community. He advocates for military-style police tactics making communities less safe and the police force more deadly. Despite his conduct, Kroll was reelected with an overwhelming majority. If Bob Kroll does not value the lives that he is sworn to protect, then we can only expect more death under his leadership.
The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis is not, nor has it ever been a member of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. Bob Kroll and those who have enabled violence and brutality to grow within police ranks do not speak for us.

Esquire: A 2 a.m. Talk With Rahul Dubey, the 'Absolute Legend' Sheltering Black Lives Matter Protesters

On the evening of Monday, June 1, 2020, just before D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s 7pm curfew went into effect, Secret Service police and the National Guard pushed back on a crowd of Black Lives Matter demonstrators to clear a path for President Trump to walk from the White House to St. John’s Church for a photo opportunity. Just over a mile away is where Rahul Dubey, a 17-year resident of Washington DC, lives. Dubey’s home—three stories and about 1600 square feet—isn’t as large as the sanctuary at St. John’s Church, but it became a sanctuary just the same. Hours after the curfew, around 70 protesters landed at Dubey’s home for a night-long standoff with police. As one protester taking refuge in Dubey's home put it, “It’s been a roller coaster between a lot of tension and a lot of chillin. Right now we’re chillin mostly because Rahul is an absolute legend and got some pizza delivered.” Amid the action, we talked on the phone with the "legend" who provided a home to those who needed it.
Gremlin wrote:

The Intercept: MINNEAPOLIS POLICE UNION PRESIDENT: “I’VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THREE SHOOTINGS MYSELF, AND NOT A ONE OF THEM HAS BOTHERED ME”

IN AN INTERVIEW in April, Lt. Bob Kroll, head of Minneapolis’s police union, said that he and a majority of the Minneapolis Police Officers’ Federation’s board have been involved in police shootings. Kroll said that he and the officers on the union’s board were not bothered by the shootings, comparing themselves favorably to other officers.
Last fall Bob Kroll, the head of the Minneapolis police union, appeared at a Trump rally, where he thanked the president for ending Barack Obama’s “oppression of police” and letting cops “put the handcuffs on criminals instead of us.”

The Los Angeles Police Commission is having their public comment session via Zoom, and streamed live on YouTube:

Hundreds of people are calling in and yelling at them.

Today your job is to eat sh*t and have people explain the various ways you are a monster for five hours.